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Gray Toaster

Started by LarryInMichigan, February 09, 2013, 11:22:06 PM

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LarryInMichigan

I saw this BIN: link for $27.50 on ebay a few days ago.  It looked like a good deal on a rare phone, so I pushed the button.  After I paid, I looked back at the listing details and noticed that it showed Priority Mail medium flat rate for shipping, so I sent a message asking the seller to please ship the phone in a larger box with the non-flat rate which would be cheaper anyway than the medium flat rate.  He replied: "Listing stated pm flat rate".  I sent him another message asking to please use a larger box as the phone was very fragile but received no reply.  The phone arrived today in a medium flat rate box.  It sat for hours on my floor until I found the courage to open it.  When I finally opened it, I found the phone in a brown paper grocery bag upside down in the box with the handset next to it.  Amazingly, no damage apparently resulted.

The shell and handset are gray plastic.  The two front corners are cracked near the bottom, as it visible in the listing pictures.  The shell is warped a bit, but it is mostly in good condition.  The plungers fit tightly thought the openings in the shell and stick in place, so I might have to grind out the openings a bit.  The handset cord is breaking at the end of the stress relief by the handset, but I expect that I should be able to shorten it a bit.  I gave the phone a quick try, and it does work, but there was alot of static, probably from the handset cord.  All of the network parts and ringer are present and are from Connecticut (CTE).  I hope to post some pictures once the phone has been restored.

I am quite annoyed at the seller for not only packing the phone poorly into a box which was too small, but also overcharging for the postage.  I am thinking about leaving neutral feedback.  I cannot understand why some people are just so obstinate.

At any rate, I think that I got a pretty good deal.  Does anyone know how much these phone usually get?

Larry


MagicMo

That is one cool looking phone!
As far as the seller goes, some people are just jerky. The more people I meet the more I love my dog!
Nice phone ;)
Mo
Practice Kindness :)

LarryInMichigan

The way that this phone was packed, it might have been done by the seller's dog :D

Larry

wds

I was watching this auction, but the picture showing the bent shell at the back cord bothered me.  I thought these phones were always metal?   Otherwise, very cool phone.
Dave

rdelius

Military sets were metal .This was not a military set. Most likely from a PABX.

LarryInMichigan

The back of the shell is warped in one area, but it it not terrible.  If I feel adventurous, I might try heating the plastic a bit with a hair dryer to see if I can bend it back.

I am sure that the phone is from a PABX, but it is a normal fully-working phone with a SL ringer unlike Select-O-Phones and others which have DC ringers, special dials, etc.  The dial on this phone is a WE #6 with a gray painted housing and finger wheel.

There was a thread about these here a few years ago: thread link.

Larry


Doug Rose

Larry...this is a cool phone. You should find a #6 dial inside with the numbers only #6 dial plate. I have only ever seen one on these phones. They do shrink like an AE tenite phone and crack like a WE thermoplastic (I know , tenite). Treat this the same way and you will have a nice phone when you are finished....Doug
Kidphone

Jester

Great find, Larry!  I've always liked the look of these.  I think they are a little more fragile than the colored 302's, but careful cleaning makes them look great.
Stephen

LarryInMichigan

I started working on the phone, and it looks like it will be a bigger project than I had expected.  The shell and handset are quite discolored.  The insides are a much lighter, grayer color the outside which have a brownish tinge and brown streaks and splotches.  I do not know how to remove the discoloration.

The dial was really stuck in the shell.  It took quite an effort to remove it.  The line cord is in worse condition than I realized.  At least 12" of it has a tattered cover.

Below is a scan of a wiring diagram that I found inside the phone.  The button on the handset is actually a ground start button as was wired as such.

Larry


Nick in Manitou

Just a note to say that I appreciate the opportunity to note the seller's name so that if I see something of interest for sale by him, I can take into consideration Larry's experience.  (I am starting a list that I will consult before purchasing anything.)

I have a black TP-6 and was unaware that this shape also came in gray plastic!

Great Find!

Jester

Quote from: LarryInMichigan on February 10, 2013, 02:44:29 PM
I started working on the phone, and it looks like it will be a bigger project than I had expected.  The shell and handset are quite discolored.  The insides are a much lighter, grayer color the outside which have a brownish tinge and brown streaks and splotches.  I do not know how to remove the discoloration.

I had good results with peroxide gel-- just make sure you monitor the treatment carefully.  Besides the normal tendency to cloud light colors, it appeared to chemically change the surface from smooth to rough if left too thick or on too long.  Light sanding & liberal buffing with Novus brought back a smooth shine.
Stephen

LarryInMichigan

I expect that I will need to give the phone the peroxide treatment, if only there would be some sunshine here.  I bought a UV reptile light a few months ago to substitute for sunlight, but it doesn't seem to do any good.

Larry


Mr. Bones

Very cool phone, Larry!

     Great deal, as well. Given the packaging, I'm especially delighted that it showed up damage free.

     I have never seen a colored set of this model, just the TP-6's, (which I want!)

     I look forward to seeing more pictures of this rare beast! Enjoy your 'new' phone!

Best regards,

Terrence
Sláinte!
   Mr. Bones
      Rubricollis Ferus

LarryInMichigan

I have just proven that at least some of the brown is from tobacco.  If I give a quick rub to the plastic with a 12000 grit MicroMesh pad,  the plastic emits a strong, disgusting tobacco smell, and the plastic lightens a bit.

Larry

poplar1

When you get to the dial, I'm wondering what the part number is for the number plate, and whether the plate was made by WE or Connecticut.

On WE phones they have either numbers and letters (164A); or are black with white dots for 5302s, white with dots (for clear finger wheels), or just white (for black pay phones). Never saw a 164-type with only numerals.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.